I liked the way the shadows fell across the hill when I took this shot the other morning.
Saturday, June 16, 2012
Long Shadows
I liked the way the shadows fell across the hill when I took this shot the other morning.
Saying Bad Words
Since apparently we've entered a new era of prudishness, and certain words pertaining to women are no longer allowed, and I am feeling like saying bad words this morning, let me type this:
VAGINA VAGINA VAGINA VAGINA VAGINA VAGINA VAGINA VAGINA VAGINA VAGINA VAGINA VAGINA VAGINA VAGINA VAGINA VAGINA VAGINA VAGINA VAGINA VAGINA VAGINA VAGINA VAGINA VAGINA VAGINA VAGINA VAGINA
Hey Lawmakers, STAY OUT OF MY VAGINA.
Read more about it:
Michigan State Rep Barred From Speaking After 'Vagina' Comments
Remarks Draw Firestorm
The V Word
Vagina Controversy Trends on Twitter
Now tell your own legislators to do something that matters, for a change, like work on the economy. And if they must legislate morality, they should look first to their own before trying to impose their own brand of BS on the rest of us.
VAGINA VAGINA VAGINA VAGINA VAGINA VAGINA VAGINA VAGINA VAGINA VAGINA VAGINA VAGINA VAGINA VAGINA VAGINA VAGINA VAGINA VAGINA VAGINA VAGINA VAGINA VAGINA VAGINA VAGINA VAGINA VAGINA VAGINA
Hey Lawmakers, STAY OUT OF MY VAGINA.
Read more about it:
Michigan State Rep Barred From Speaking After 'Vagina' Comments
Remarks Draw Firestorm
The V Word
Vagina Controversy Trends on Twitter
Now tell your own legislators to do something that matters, for a change, like work on the economy. And if they must legislate morality, they should look first to their own before trying to impose their own brand of BS on the rest of us.
Friday, June 15, 2012
Stuff On My Mind
If I were an alien and I came to the county I live in, and looked around at the multitude of churches, and then visited the recycling bins and saw all of the glass liquor and wine bottles and beer boxes, I could only assume that we are a county full of religious drunks.
***
I do not like bugs. Spiders seem to be readying themselves for winter already. What is up with that?
***
Clover and wire grass at least cover the dirt in the yard. I really don't care if they're not the most desirable lawn covering.
***
I do not deal well with liars and cheats.
***
My flowers (marigolds, pansies, petunias, all in pots), which decorate my deck, are sickly looking and I can't figure out what is wrong with them.
***
I do not believe a single word of any political commercial from either party. See the "liars and cheats" item above.
***
Reality TV has taken over, and I'm sick of it. I want to see good story telling, riveting acting, and good drama. Why is that too much to ask?
***
When I go to the mailbox and all I have is a single piece of junk mail, I consider it a wasted 3 minutes of my life. That is how long it takes me to get from my kitchen, down the driveway, and back inside, if I take the car. It's a lot longer if I walk.
***
Actually, going to the mailbox is probably a waste of time, and over the last 28 years, I have easily lost 26,000 minutes (433 hours, or 18 days) just going after the mail.
***
I do not like bugs. Spiders seem to be readying themselves for winter already. What is up with that?
***
Clover and wire grass at least cover the dirt in the yard. I really don't care if they're not the most desirable lawn covering.
***
I do not deal well with liars and cheats.
***
My flowers (marigolds, pansies, petunias, all in pots), which decorate my deck, are sickly looking and I can't figure out what is wrong with them.
***
I do not believe a single word of any political commercial from either party. See the "liars and cheats" item above.
***
Reality TV has taken over, and I'm sick of it. I want to see good story telling, riveting acting, and good drama. Why is that too much to ask?
***
When I go to the mailbox and all I have is a single piece of junk mail, I consider it a wasted 3 minutes of my life. That is how long it takes me to get from my kitchen, down the driveway, and back inside, if I take the car. It's a lot longer if I walk.
***
Actually, going to the mailbox is probably a waste of time, and over the last 28 years, I have easily lost 26,000 minutes (433 hours, or 18 days) just going after the mail.
Thursday, June 14, 2012
Thursday Thirteen
Health care issues are a problem for many of us. Stress is a biggy, one that is blamed for many things but no one seems to know how to deal with it.
Is stress a problem in your life?
Here are 13 physical problems that might be caused by stress:
1. Clenching or grinding your teeth.
2. Biting your nails, chewing pencils, or similar behaviors.
3. Chronic colds, cold sores, or yeast infections.
4. Feeling blue, irritable, tired, and/or overwhelmed.
5. Food cravings, particularly those you seem unable to control.
6. Frequent bloating, indigestion, or diarrhea.
7. Frowning or wrinkling your brow often.
8. Breathing rapidly and shallowly.
9. Trouble sleeping.
10. Frequent headaches.
11. Memory troubles, such as forgetfulness or problems focusing.
12. Skin rashes, hives, or acne breakouts.
13. More illnesses than normal.
And here are 13 stress relievers:
1. Talk to a friend.
2. Eat walnuts and/or tuna, which slow cortisol production.
3. Eat carbohydrates such as bread or pasta earlier in the day.
4. Take Vitamin C.
5. Do yoga, tai chi, or some other relaxing body-movement exercise.
6. Meditate.
7. Listen to music.
8. Write in a journal.
9. Use breathing exercises.
10. Laugh.
11. Go for a walk (preferably outside).
12. Try aromatherapy.
13. Don't put stuff off.
Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here. I've been playing for a while and this is my 246th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday.
Is stress a problem in your life?
Here are 13 physical problems that might be caused by stress:
 |
| I bite my nails. |
2. Biting your nails, chewing pencils, or similar behaviors.
3. Chronic colds, cold sores, or yeast infections.
4. Feeling blue, irritable, tired, and/or overwhelmed.
6. Frequent bloating, indigestion, or diarrhea.
7. Frowning or wrinkling your brow often.
8. Breathing rapidly and shallowly.
9. Trouble sleeping.
10. Frequent headaches.
11. Memory troubles, such as forgetfulness or problems focusing.
12. Skin rashes, hives, or acne breakouts.
13. More illnesses than normal.
And here are 13 stress relievers:
1. Talk to a friend.
2. Eat walnuts and/or tuna, which slow cortisol production.
3. Eat carbohydrates such as bread or pasta earlier in the day.
4. Take Vitamin C.
5. Do yoga, tai chi, or some other relaxing body-movement exercise.
6. Meditate.
7. Listen to music.
8. Write in a journal.
9. Use breathing exercises.
11. Go for a walk (preferably outside).
12. Try aromatherapy.
13. Don't put stuff off.
Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here. I've been playing for a while and this is my 246th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday.
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
Sunday, June 10, 2012
Dying Boxwoods
Back in 2009, I posted about my boxwoods and the continual dying off of branches.
This has proven to be one of my most popular posts. It receives page views all the time.
I'm guessing that boxwood death is a problem for many homeowners.
I am down to three boxwoods (there were five), and the branch die-off continues.
The problem, whatever it is, has moved steadily from boxwood to boxwood.
As best I can tell, the culprit is likely something called English Boxwood Decline. This is caused by drought, which then creates some kind of root fungus or root rot. It is not something very controllable, as it is weather-dependent. I try to water mine but apparently I still am not doing something right.
The branch death slowed for a few years and I had hoped that somehow the remaining boxwoods would be spared, but now I do not think that is the case.
In any event, there is not a lot of information about boxwood problems on the Internet. A few sites discuss the problem but generally refer back to the site I have linked to above.
These boxwoods mean a great deal because they came from slips my husband's grandmother cut from her boxwoods.
I have come to terms with the fact that eventually the remaining boxwoods will likely have die. I hope it will take a long time, though.
This has proven to be one of my most popular posts. It receives page views all the time.
I'm guessing that boxwood death is a problem for many homeowners.
I am down to three boxwoods (there were five), and the branch die-off continues.
The problem, whatever it is, has moved steadily from boxwood to boxwood.
As best I can tell, the culprit is likely something called English Boxwood Decline. This is caused by drought, which then creates some kind of root fungus or root rot. It is not something very controllable, as it is weather-dependent. I try to water mine but apparently I still am not doing something right.
The branch death slowed for a few years and I had hoped that somehow the remaining boxwoods would be spared, but now I do not think that is the case.
In any event, there is not a lot of information about boxwood problems on the Internet. A few sites discuss the problem but generally refer back to the site I have linked to above.
These boxwoods mean a great deal because they came from slips my husband's grandmother cut from her boxwoods.
I have come to terms with the fact that eventually the remaining boxwoods will likely have die. I hope it will take a long time, though.
Saturday, June 09, 2012
Books: The Land of Painted Caves
The Land of Painted Caves
By Jean M. Auel
Copyright 2011
Audiobook
Unabridged
Read by Sandra Burr
I have read all of the Earth's Children books, beginning with The Clan of the Cave Bear.
After the third book, they have grown progressively worse. This last one was the longest audiobook I have ever listened to in my life. And it isn't, really, the longest book I have ever listened too, at least not in terms of number of CDs and time.
It just felt that way.
To be honest, I have thought for some time that the last books, including this one, were not written, at least not entirely, by the original author. Auel was born in 1936, and while 76 years old is not too old to be writing a book, I think the books have been taken over by a book packager or something.
How else could one account for such a decline in talent?
Not only that, whoever edited this book should be fired immediately. Surely some editor could have reduced the length of this 800+ page tome to about 200 pages without losing a single bit of story line.
I was sorry I chose to listen to this book, instead of reading it. Had I read it, I could have skipped a lot of repetition. For this book repeats itself ad nauseum, endlessly, page after page.
There is little plot, and little character development.
But . . . there is detail. And depth. And the creation of a vast world. A world familiar yet not. That was why I kept listening, well, that and the hope that something would happen. Which it occasionally did, apparently enough, that, like Pavlov's dog after a bone, I kept on with the story.
This book received more than 600 bad reviews on amazon.com, and only a few 5 star reviews. Many people were disappointed, I fear.
I would not say I was disappointed so much as tired by the time I finally finished listening to disc 29.
If you are a fan of Ayla, the heroine of these stories, then you will want to skim this book (don't do the audio) for closure. But otherwise, unless you like repetitive, detailed books about humans who lived 30,000 years ago, look elsewhere.
By Jean M. Auel
Copyright 2011
Audiobook
Unabridged
Read by Sandra Burr
I have read all of the Earth's Children books, beginning with The Clan of the Cave Bear.
After the third book, they have grown progressively worse. This last one was the longest audiobook I have ever listened to in my life. And it isn't, really, the longest book I have ever listened too, at least not in terms of number of CDs and time.
It just felt that way.
To be honest, I have thought for some time that the last books, including this one, were not written, at least not entirely, by the original author. Auel was born in 1936, and while 76 years old is not too old to be writing a book, I think the books have been taken over by a book packager or something.
How else could one account for such a decline in talent?
Not only that, whoever edited this book should be fired immediately. Surely some editor could have reduced the length of this 800+ page tome to about 200 pages without losing a single bit of story line.
I was sorry I chose to listen to this book, instead of reading it. Had I read it, I could have skipped a lot of repetition. For this book repeats itself ad nauseum, endlessly, page after page.
There is little plot, and little character development.
But . . . there is detail. And depth. And the creation of a vast world. A world familiar yet not. That was why I kept listening, well, that and the hope that something would happen. Which it occasionally did, apparently enough, that, like Pavlov's dog after a bone, I kept on with the story.
This book received more than 600 bad reviews on amazon.com, and only a few 5 star reviews. Many people were disappointed, I fear.
I would not say I was disappointed so much as tired by the time I finally finished listening to disc 29.
If you are a fan of Ayla, the heroine of these stories, then you will want to skim this book (don't do the audio) for closure. But otherwise, unless you like repetitive, detailed books about humans who lived 30,000 years ago, look elsewhere.
Friday, June 08, 2012
49 - A Very Good Year
The last several weeks have been filled with celebration, and today is no exception.
I am 49 years old today.
Almost 50. In another year, I will be an antique!
It has been an interesting life, and I look forward to many more interesting and entertaining years. Maybe even another 49. Won't I be old then?!?
Thank you, gentle reader, for sticking with this blog for however long you have been reading. I have enjoyed making friends with some of you, meeting you in person, or befriending you on Facebook. Finding common ground is always such a comfort. Connections are important and good.
You have been kind to me and I appreciate it. I hope that you stay with me as the journey continues, but if not, I understand. We are all like gentle streams, twisting, turning, sometimes meeting up, other times running parallel, sometimes moving so far away as to be in the next county. Life is like that.
Take care of yourself, dear reader. Be as kind to your body as you can - it does wear out. Be gentle with your soul, and always strive to learn something new each day. Mind expansion is a good thing. You know me - I love education.
Some days I don't think I will have anything else to say here, but I think I will hang around for at least another year. Might as well say "I'm 50" in this space when the time comes, eh?
So may this day also be special to you, just because you're the wonderful you you are.
Thanks for reading Blue Country Magic!
I am 49 years old today.
Almost 50. In another year, I will be an antique!
It has been an interesting life, and I look forward to many more interesting and entertaining years. Maybe even another 49. Won't I be old then?!?
Thank you, gentle reader, for sticking with this blog for however long you have been reading. I have enjoyed making friends with some of you, meeting you in person, or befriending you on Facebook. Finding common ground is always such a comfort. Connections are important and good.
You have been kind to me and I appreciate it. I hope that you stay with me as the journey continues, but if not, I understand. We are all like gentle streams, twisting, turning, sometimes meeting up, other times running parallel, sometimes moving so far away as to be in the next county. Life is like that.
Take care of yourself, dear reader. Be as kind to your body as you can - it does wear out. Be gentle with your soul, and always strive to learn something new each day. Mind expansion is a good thing. You know me - I love education.
Some days I don't think I will have anything else to say here, but I think I will hang around for at least another year. Might as well say "I'm 50" in this space when the time comes, eh?
So may this day also be special to you, just because you're the wonderful you you are.
Thanks for reading Blue Country Magic!
Thursday, June 07, 2012
Thursday Thirteen #245
Tomorrow is my birthday. I will be 49 years old. I suppose I shouldn't tell my age, but darn it, I have earned the wrinkles and the gray hairs.
To celebrate, I thought I'd offer up 13 things I have learned in those years I have lived.
2. Too much of what you love is not a good thing. Moderation truly is the best way to go, whether that's in eating chocolate or making love.
3. Patience, curiosity, and caution are often rewarded, but slowly. There is no fast return on those personality initiatives.
4. Staying young is a state of mind, and it helps to be around young people if you want to do that.
5. Death comes. It sneaks up on you in the night, or it hits you full in the face unexpectedly on a pleasant Wednesday morning, but it comes. Nothing prepares you for it and it changes everything.
6. Ritual is a necessary part of life, whether that is changing your underwear by 10 a.m. every morning or partaking in an elaborate once-in-a-lifetime coronation on your wedding day. Embrace rituals and create your own.
7. Never stop learning. Learning comes in many forms, not just from books. Some of the best education I have received has come from watching people (also some of the worst). But then a lot of good stuff has come my way from reading. Figure out what you need, get it how you need it, and leave the rest.
8. Just because your situation is one way does not mean the rest of the world is the same. You might be comfortable in your nice middle-class house, but that doesn't mean everyone else has one. There is always someone worse off or better off than you are. Leave your comfort zone once in a while and explore the world around you. You will come away with new knowledge not only about what is outside of you, but what is in you.
9. Etiquette and courtesy matter. Say please, thank you, yes ma'am and yes sir. Open doors for one another, especially older people, and allow someone else to get ahead of you in the grocery line once in a while. The response to a thank you is "you're welcome," not "no problem."
10. Whining changes nothing.
11. If you love what you are doing, you will do it well and often. It is important to find your passion.
12. You own your feelings and you are in charge of them. If you feel hurt, angry, depressed, or hung-over, figure it out and take control.
13. Family means whatever you want it to. If that includes your best friend, her dog and your cat and not your blood relatives, so be it. Embrace love wherever you find it.
I could go on all day with that, I think.
Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here. I've been playing for a while and this is my 245th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday.
To celebrate, I thought I'd offer up 13 things I have learned in those years I have lived.
1. Marriage has two components: you and the other person. Treat the other person like you want to be treated and it will go more smoothly. (I've been married for 28 years; I can say this with authority.) Be nice.
 |
| Feed him cake sometimes! |
2. Too much of what you love is not a good thing. Moderation truly is the best way to go, whether that's in eating chocolate or making love.
3. Patience, curiosity, and caution are often rewarded, but slowly. There is no fast return on those personality initiatives.
4. Staying young is a state of mind, and it helps to be around young people if you want to do that.
5. Death comes. It sneaks up on you in the night, or it hits you full in the face unexpectedly on a pleasant Wednesday morning, but it comes. Nothing prepares you for it and it changes everything.
 |
| Be sure to change your socks. |
7. Never stop learning. Learning comes in many forms, not just from books. Some of the best education I have received has come from watching people (also some of the worst). But then a lot of good stuff has come my way from reading. Figure out what you need, get it how you need it, and leave the rest.
 |
| Explore the world! |
9. Etiquette and courtesy matter. Say please, thank you, yes ma'am and yes sir. Open doors for one another, especially older people, and allow someone else to get ahead of you in the grocery line once in a while. The response to a thank you is "you're welcome," not "no problem."
10. Whining changes nothing.
11. If you love what you are doing, you will do it well and often. It is important to find your passion.
12. You own your feelings and you are in charge of them. If you feel hurt, angry, depressed, or hung-over, figure it out and take control.
 |
| Kick back and relax! |
I could go on all day with that, I think.
Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here. I've been playing for a while and this is my 245th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday.
Wednesday, June 06, 2012
Hollins: The Art Gallery
When I received my MA from Hollins in May, I promised myself that I would take every opportunity to avail myself of the campus and the college community. Hollins offers a lot of free activities, if some woman will just get off her duff and drive the 20 minutes over there.
This morning I visited the Eleanor D. Wilson Museum in the Richard Wetherill Visual Arts Center. I knew it a long time ago as the library, but that was before a major renovation. Now it is the arts building.
The Museum currently has three separate exhibits.
1. Alice Hohenberg Federico, Hollins Class of 1967. She is a ceramic artist and the museum had a room full of her art, almost all vases. Some were quite elaborate.
2. Andy Warhol.
I confess I am not a big Warhol fan. I have never gotten the whole tomato soup thing.
The Museum is open to the public Tuesday - Friday 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.; Saturday 1 - 5 p.m.
Check it out. It is one Roanoke's hidden jewels.
This morning I visited the Eleanor D. Wilson Museum in the Richard Wetherill Visual Arts Center. I knew it a long time ago as the library, but that was before a major renovation. Now it is the arts building.
The Museum currently has three separate exhibits.
1. Alice Hohenberg Federico, Hollins Class of 1967. She is a ceramic artist and the museum had a room full of her art, almost all vases. Some were quite elaborate.
2. Andy Warhol.
I confess I am not a big Warhol fan. I have never gotten the whole tomato soup thing.
I approached the manikin from the rear and thought it was a real person.
Soup cans and naked woman outline. Hmm.
Marilyn Monroe, right?
3. Clement Hurd's illustrations of Goodnight Moon. Goodnight Moon is a beloved children's book written by Margaret Wise Brown, Hollins class of 1932.
A copy of the book along with activity items in a room set up to appeal to children.
An illustration of one of the pages.
Another illustration of one of the pages.
Cover art for different versions of the book.
Check it out. It is one Roanoke's hidden jewels.
Tuesday, June 05, 2012
Happy Birthday, Brother
Today is my brother's birthday. He is 46 years old. When we were young, we often celebrated together because my birthday is Friday.
I was on the verge of turning three when he was born, but I vaguely remember when it happened. I recall my mother telling my father she didn't feel well. My grandfather came and got me and took me to their house. I recall talking to my mother over the telephone; it seemed to me she was gone a long time.
And then she came back in time for my birthday with this wailing little thing:
I was on the verge of turning three when he was born, but I vaguely remember when it happened. I recall my mother telling my father she didn't feel well. My grandfather came and got me and took me to their house. I recall talking to my mother over the telephone; it seemed to me she was gone a long time.
And then she came back in time for my birthday with this wailing little thing:
 |
| Me and my brother. Don't I look happy? |
 |
| A newspaper photo of my brother, when, around age 4, he caught a big fish at the Salem pond during a fishing rodeo. |
 |
| My brother at approximately age 7 with his Christmas toy. Rock 'em Sock 'em Robots. |
.jpg) |
| My mother, my father, me, and my brother at my wedding in 1983. My brother would have been 17 in this picture. |
My brother this weekend at his daughter's
dance recital; he is in costume for
the daddy daughter dance.
My brother has two children of his own and a stepson; he runs a corporation over in southeast Roanoke. He lives adjacent to the farm where we grew up, where he raises chickens, peacocks, and other birds. He likes to hunt and takes big game hunting trips every year. I don't say it often but I am proud of him.
Happy birthday, Bro!
Sunday, June 03, 2012
Dance! Dance! Dance! Dance!
This weekend my niece participated in the multi-show, many-hours long Floyd Ward Dance Recital at the Roanoke Civic Center. The thing begins on Friday night and continues into Saturday evening. It is a massive production involving hundreds of people, with dancers ranging from three to 18, plus the fathers of some of the dancers in a special "daddy daughter dance."
My brother this year decided to do the "daddy daughter dance," so I went Saturday to see both of them. Zoe danced in seven dances during the three hours I was there.
One of the local TV stations did a story on Floyd Ward's work with special needs students, which I think is spectacular. You can see that at this link.
Flash photography was not allowed at the recital, but I had my pocket Nikon and turned the flash off to take some photos. I have had to crop these significantly and many failed because of the low lighting and movement. So while these are not the best shots, they are all I have of the event for reasons not within my control.
The show began with a series of dances that told the story of Beauty and the Beast (Disney version). Zoe was not in those dances but she was in a number about children of the coal mines ("Children of the Coal"). Then it progressed into "Night at the Museum." The "daddy daughter dance" featured the fathers dressed as night watchmen at the museum, with the daughters in masks being the little thieves.
My brother this year decided to do the "daddy daughter dance," so I went Saturday to see both of them. Zoe danced in seven dances during the three hours I was there.
One of the local TV stations did a story on Floyd Ward's work with special needs students, which I think is spectacular. You can see that at this link.
Flash photography was not allowed at the recital, but I had my pocket Nikon and turned the flash off to take some photos. I have had to crop these significantly and many failed because of the low lighting and movement. So while these are not the best shots, they are all I have of the event for reasons not within my control.
The show began with a series of dances that told the story of Beauty and the Beast (Disney version). Zoe was not in those dances but she was in a number about children of the coal mines ("Children of the Coal"). Then it progressed into "Night at the Museum." The "daddy daughter dance" featured the fathers dressed as night watchmen at the museum, with the daughters in masks being the little thieves.
 |
| Zoe in costume, the one time she slowed down long enough for me to try to get a picture! |
 |
| My brother is third from left. |
 |
| Opening of Children of the Coal. This production one awards. The placards say, "1906, West Virginia Coalfields. Boys, as young as 6, started their careers in the mines. Young girls were hired to follow the track lines and pick up fallen coal. Many boys lost limbs or were stricken with black lung. Poverty was the driving force pushing child labor in the mines. For those that survived ... love of family and faith in God, helped them carry on. |
 |
| Children of the Coal. Zoe is the girl on the far left, in the floor. |
 |
| End of Children of the Coal. |
 |
| I don't know the name of the other dances (I didn't get a program.) Zoe is the third from the left. |
 |
| Zoe is first on the left. |
 |
| Zoe in the middle. |
 |
| Zoe is the one on the floor. |
 |
| Zoe is first on the right. |
 |
| Zoe is first on the right. |
 |
| My brother is second on the right. |
 |
| Zoe is second from left. |
 |
| My brother and his daughter. |
 |
| Daddy Daughter Dance |
 |
| My brother and niece. |
 |
| I don't see my brother on a knee very often. :-) |
 |
| My brother after the dance. |
Saturday, June 02, 2012
After the Storm
Yesterday the area experienced severe thunderstorms. We were under a tornado watch. My friend Cathy, with whom I used to work and who is a reporter for The Roanoke Times, caught a picture of something that looks like a tornado. Click on the link to see it.
After the bad weather passed through, I went outside to take photos of the storm as it was heading off into Bedford.
After the bad weather passed through, I went outside to take photos of the storm as it was heading off into Bedford.
My favorite fence with dark skies in the background.
The storm moving toward the Peaks of Otter and into Bedford.
My rock lilies (or yucca) with the storm as a backdrop.
An hour or so later, a rainbow.
Friday, June 01, 2012
Making a Cake - A Poem
By Anita Firebaugh
"Beater!"
"Bowl!"
My brother and I jostled for position
hearing that whirr of the mixer
knowing Grandma was baking.
Her mixtures of sweetness dripped
with egg and sugar, softness against
delighted pink tongues.
Not once did we ask.
We claimed.
Not caring if she might want a taste,
not knowing if she wanted to keep bowl
and beaters close and for herself.
The mixture was ours,
our alchemic summer delight.
She gave the gold over to us.
Willingly. Every time.
But I am old now, and I tell you the truth.
She wanted those beaters, my grandmother did.
She yearned to cover her fingers
with the batter coating the bowl sides,
stuff those sticky digits in her mouth,
taste that sugary sweet mix,
feel it ooze against her teeth.
She ached to break the moral code,
keep that treat for her own.
And when the government said
"Do not eat raw batter," she breathed
a deep sigh. Now she had a reason,
she could tell those grandkids
"You cannot eat the cake mix."
Another voice had said, "No."
"Beater!"
"Bowl!"
My brother and I jostled for position
hearing that whirr of the mixer
knowing Grandma was baking.
Her mixtures of sweetness dripped
with egg and sugar, softness against
delighted pink tongues.
Not once did we ask.
We claimed.
Not caring if she might want a taste,
not knowing if she wanted to keep bowl
and beaters close and for herself.
The mixture was ours,
our alchemic summer delight.
She gave the gold over to us.
Willingly. Every time.
But I am old now, and I tell you the truth.
She wanted those beaters, my grandmother did.
She yearned to cover her fingers
with the batter coating the bowl sides,
stuff those sticky digits in her mouth,
taste that sugary sweet mix,
feel it ooze against her teeth.
She ached to break the moral code,
keep that treat for her own.
And when the government said
"Do not eat raw batter," she breathed
a deep sigh. Now she had a reason,
she could tell those grandkids
"You cannot eat the cake mix."
Another voice had said, "No."
Thursday, May 31, 2012
Thursday Thirteen
I have had, for some time now, a major procrastination problem. I have a lot of unfinished projects, ideas, ... stuff ... that I look at, move around from place to place on my desk, or otherwise ignore.
I thought I'd list 13 of them. That there are more than 13 is rather scary, but there you go. These are things that pertain to my writing career, so I am not including stuff like clean out the attic or paint the bathroom. That also needs to be taken care of but it would be a terribly long list if I added household items. Maybe I will list household items another time.
These are not in any order of importance, just as they come to me. In all of these projects, my options are to keep procrastinating, do it, or decide it isn't viable, and finally let go of the darned thing.
1. Revise my thesis and turn it into something for publication.
2. Finish my research and the book on the history of Cloverdale.
3. Do my genealogy. Some of this is done. This is rather a time consuming project, and one I was saving for when I was old. Am I old now?
4. Listen to and transcribe some cassette tapes I have of dead relatives and turn that into books for family members. I have had this on my desk since 2006. Apparently I am just not ready yet to revisit those voices. Maybe I should give this to another relative.
5. Gather up the poetry I have written over the years and turn it into a chapbook.
6. Revise the first novel I ever wrote to completion (which is sitting on the shelf by my desk). It's a Gothic romance, which is pretty much a dead genre.
7. Finish the fantasy book I started that reached 100 pages before I abandoned it. It has magic in it, is a quest book, and has a number of characters, like Lord of the Rings.
8. Finish the second part of that fantasy series, which I also started and abandoned. This one is more focused on a single character, and is actually the story of a secondary character in the first book.
9. Write that other book that would also be a fantasy of sorts but is also historical, the one that keeps floating around in my mind from time to time. This one would cover hundreds of years and start out in Dr. Johnson's time in London, which is to say, the 1700s, and progress forward. There is moonshine involved.
10. Write that other story that is apocalyptic, which might be a short story or a novel, not sure. The one about garbage.
11. Write that other novel that is apocalyptic (yes, I like those kinds of stories), the one that starts out in the Greenbrier bunker. This one also has magic.
12. Write a 20th century history of Botetourt County. It needs to be done before the information is lost (meaning before the stuff I have gathered gets thrown out when I have turned to dust).
13. Read all of these books I have laying around. I have never had such a backlog of reading as I have now. Maybe next week I will list 13 books I have on my shelves to read. Or not.
Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here. I've been playing for a while and this is my 244rd time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday.
I thought I'd list 13 of them. That there are more than 13 is rather scary, but there you go. These are things that pertain to my writing career, so I am not including stuff like clean out the attic or paint the bathroom. That also needs to be taken care of but it would be a terribly long list if I added household items. Maybe I will list household items another time.
These are not in any order of importance, just as they come to me. In all of these projects, my options are to keep procrastinating, do it, or decide it isn't viable, and finally let go of the darned thing.
1. Revise my thesis and turn it into something for publication.
2. Finish my research and the book on the history of Cloverdale.
3. Do my genealogy. Some of this is done. This is rather a time consuming project, and one I was saving for when I was old. Am I old now?
4. Listen to and transcribe some cassette tapes I have of dead relatives and turn that into books for family members. I have had this on my desk since 2006. Apparently I am just not ready yet to revisit those voices. Maybe I should give this to another relative.
5. Gather up the poetry I have written over the years and turn it into a chapbook.
6. Revise the first novel I ever wrote to completion (which is sitting on the shelf by my desk). It's a Gothic romance, which is pretty much a dead genre.
7. Finish the fantasy book I started that reached 100 pages before I abandoned it. It has magic in it, is a quest book, and has a number of characters, like Lord of the Rings.
8. Finish the second part of that fantasy series, which I also started and abandoned. This one is more focused on a single character, and is actually the story of a secondary character in the first book.
9. Write that other book that would also be a fantasy of sorts but is also historical, the one that keeps floating around in my mind from time to time. This one would cover hundreds of years and start out in Dr. Johnson's time in London, which is to say, the 1700s, and progress forward. There is moonshine involved.
10. Write that other story that is apocalyptic, which might be a short story or a novel, not sure. The one about garbage.
11. Write that other novel that is apocalyptic (yes, I like those kinds of stories), the one that starts out in the Greenbrier bunker. This one also has magic.
12. Write a 20th century history of Botetourt County. It needs to be done before the information is lost (meaning before the stuff I have gathered gets thrown out when I have turned to dust).
13. Read all of these books I have laying around. I have never had such a backlog of reading as I have now. Maybe next week I will list 13 books I have on my shelves to read. Or not.
Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here. I've been playing for a while and this is my 244rd time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday.
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Like A Rose
My flowers this spring have suffered from an abundance of rain and not enough attention from me.
The rain has been a bit more constant than normal; I think it rained for nearly 18 straight days in May. That, combined with an unfortunate spate of poor health on my part, has meant my flowers have been left to their own devices more often than not.
My roses have bloomed but rain quickly blemishes the rose petals. Plus rain washes away insecticides, dust, and plant food before any of it does that for which it was made and applied.
However, we had a few days of sunshine and the rose above bloomed out. It is the only one blooming at the moment.
It is my special orange rose, given to me in 2001 as a birthday present from a friend.
I have mentioned before that I took it as a sign from my mother, who had passed away the previous August from pancreatic cancer. We had a conversation about the after life a few weeks before she died. She had promised to send me something orange as proof that there is something more than what we see.
And so came this rose, which blooms around my birthday (and usually in August) to remind me of my mother, my friend, and our souls. (Today is not my birthday, though. That is next week.)
The rain has been a bit more constant than normal; I think it rained for nearly 18 straight days in May. That, combined with an unfortunate spate of poor health on my part, has meant my flowers have been left to their own devices more often than not.
My roses have bloomed but rain quickly blemishes the rose petals. Plus rain washes away insecticides, dust, and plant food before any of it does that for which it was made and applied.
However, we had a few days of sunshine and the rose above bloomed out. It is the only one blooming at the moment.
It is my special orange rose, given to me in 2001 as a birthday present from a friend.
I have mentioned before that I took it as a sign from my mother, who had passed away the previous August from pancreatic cancer. We had a conversation about the after life a few weeks before she died. She had promised to send me something orange as proof that there is something more than what we see.
And so came this rose, which blooms around my birthday (and usually in August) to remind me of my mother, my friend, and our souls. (Today is not my birthday, though. That is next week.)
You might note that in this photo there is an inch worm hanging from the side. It was in the other photo, too, but I cropped it out. I didn't see the worm when I was shooting the pictures or I would have removed it from the plant.
For some reason the little inch worm amuses me and I decided to share it, too.
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